New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-25
GREELEY AND McELRA1H.


NATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP
"a the Fduor NJ The Trt'""i
SIN: The biographical sketch OF Horace "re-
Icy in the Encyclopedia Britannica VOL. NJ Wsc
1el1 contains the following statement:
Wi.u u was, already clearly established he 'o'h III
Thom1~ We Elrdh - n tGnai p'r'h'r
Trd,r the same heading in Applctons Cyclo-
media Of American Biography Vol nj page '5oi
is the following:
nv July the chances for rcrmaunn' success were
so clear that Thomas NJ Erath nu>ire>s man OF eA-
SclIent siandncw was ,a'cn IN as equal parrer
On examination | find that similar expressions
have appeared in nest of the biographies Of A'f
Greeley as well rs in ether SN''ch'S
in cYclo, rlas That they 90 hoU
onitc rcnrrStnt the exact facts of the case
will. ] think. be apparent from what follows
The first number Of THE Nrw-Yohk DAIif lfib-
rNE was issued on the morning OF April TO- !0ii'
BY Horace Greeley Il Co., NO 80 Ahh-s'' No"-
York Delivered 90 city Subscribers lor one oV.o
ner copv Mail subscribers 81 per annum At
that time there were no news stands IN the Guy
Tho naners were served by carriers. who mld ior
,bem when they received them, and made thef
,vn collections from the subscribers. Each carrier
had his own district. in which he claimed @lnd
of ownership and was not ntcrfcred with by
other carriers.
The Ncw-Yorl Sun" owned and conducted by
Moses Y Beach. was the only one cent paper pub
lishcd in New-Yor at that time. 1t had been
established some years, had a large circulation ana
an extensive and profitable advertising PATRONAGE
1.-THE New-York Herald" owned and edited Nv
James Gordon Bennett, was delivered 10 SUI,
scribers at two cents copy, and it also was wen
established and was understood to be hnanciaiS
n great success Both of these papers protested
TO be independent in politics. lnE tribune on
the contrary, was started profcssedy as a party
papcr advocating extreme Wing doctrines, ana
vigorously opposing those of the Democratic party
The political sentiments of this newspaper nc
corded with my own, and its vigorous editorials
and generally denihcd course attracted my at'eh-
ton and enlisted my sympathies.
had personal acquaintance with MI. NreeIeE
but knew nothing about the origin Of his paper
nor ON what he relied for its support. The last
time ! had met him was at the Office OF me
Evening Journal" at Albany at the time he was
editing The Jefrcrsonian- Some time IN the
carly part of July of the year in which lhE
TRIBUNE was started, l called upon him at the
office i'm Ann-st.. and in the course OF our CON
ycrsation | inquired who was his partner or VINO
constituted the Co" lie replied that he had
no partner but would like to have one lhiS
led to confidential disclosure on his part OF the
condition of the paper. lie had started II WIN
the promise Of aid from several parties, ana TWO
gentlemen had each agreed TO give him one th"us-
and dollars on the issue OF the first number puI
only one thousand had been paid him. He had
full faith in the ultimate success of his paper
if il could be sustained for year or So but it
was now going behind hand He was diSappoint-
ed in the amount Of advertising which he thought
The Whie merchants of the city would have given
him. but thought if he could swell the snbScrlp-
ton list he would be able to divide with " Inc
Sun" part OF the miscellaneous advertising when
was the source Of such profit 20 that paper lie
said he wished | would look further into the
matter and if thought well Of the enterprise
he would like ne to become his partner. Our
interview lasted about an hour. and left. prom
Using to give the matter consideration DAY
or two afterward he called to me at my Office.
and we again talked the matter over. and be-
came favoraby impressed and gave him encour-
agement that | would unite with him in the con
duct Of the paper
On consulting my friends on the subject
found them all opposed and | rather concluded
TO abandon all thought about it. But before
fully determining. l thought, after the encour-
asemcnt had given Nh Greeley. 1t was due to
him that | should make further Investigation
and accordingly | went TO Mr.. Greclcy's Office
and asked him for as hll an explanation a. lie
c,IlL g.rc ne Of Che rcil situation OF rs affairs
With entire candor he explained all | then
learned that he was losing from $500 10 $500
week on THE TRIBUNE; that be was still ISSUING
The New-YO slIer." literary weekly paper, the
current wear of which would not be closed until
the middle of September; and that he also had
TO continue The Log Cabin for somewhat
longer period the subscription for both Of which
publications had been raid in advance. At my
request he also exhibited to me as we'll as his
imperfect method of keeping his accounts enabled
him to- his receipts for advertising and subscrlp-
ions for HE TRIBUNE from the time 4 was started
which uiCn Close examination appeared even
less favorable than he had Battered himself was
the case. or than lac had represented 10 me. He
told me what printing materials lie owned. and
now much he indebted for them. The result
was | concluded lot 10 embark ia the enterprise,
and so informed Linn. He was much disappointed,
and said that unless he received 1000 which had
been promised him he would be III difficulty, and
that he required $500 Immediately. | offered to
lend him 500 which lac tsHk, and "a, me his
note for il. Here the subject was dismissed from
M mind. Within a day or two Mr. Greeley called
AT my house and had talk with my wife On the
subject Of whose opposition 10 my embm ling in the
newspaper buSino - he had been informed. lie was
lot successful in his endeavOs to change her views
but at his earnest solicitation / agLced to another
interview at his Office
At this final interview the diScontinuancc Of
" The Ncw-Yorkcr at the close OF the volume and
OF The Log Cabin at the end Of the year was
agreed to. l suggested weekly issue Of The
TRIBUNE, and the publication Of The WEEKLY,
after considerable discussion between rs. was
finally agreed upon and with that understanding
and that it should be commenced In September,
we came TO terms the general partnership he
stated the terms upon which we were to become
equal partners. and with very few words about de
tails accepted them. The amount Of money
was to put in the concern was $4,000. Of which his
note. which / had for $500 was to form part
The firm was 10 fulfil Mr. Grcelcys engagements
with the subscribers 10 the two papers before
spoken II. | don't remember whether ever had
a written agreement. If We had. / never saw IL
aftcrward.